From Assessment to Innovation: Multi-Criteria Evaluation of Alternative Pavement Methods as a Prelude to Developing Asphalt Substitutes in Oman

Abstract

Asphalt remains the dominant pavement material in Oman, the wider Gulf region, and much of the world. Despite its long-standing prevalence, asphalt pavements present persistent challenges: volatile prices linked to oil markets, costly and frequent maintenance, and serious environmental impacts, particularly greenhouse gas emissions and waste generation. This article is derived from the author’s MSc dissertation completed at Glasgow Caledonian University (2017) in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Construction Management. Between 2015 and 2017, the study investigated alternative pavement methods and developed a systematic framework for evaluating their suitability in the Omani context. A multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tool was formulated by integrating insights from an extensive literature review, international case studies, and a questionnaire survey of Omani decision-makers and engineers. Thirteen criteria were applied, including construction cost, maintenance, life-cycle performance, availability of raw materials, environmental impact, recyclability, safety, and load-bearing capacity. Findings indicated that precast plastic pavement ranked highest among the examined alternatives due to its recyclability, reduced maintenance needs, and resilience under traffic loads. Other methods such as asphalt–plastic hybrids, recycled glass, recycled rubber, and solar panel pavements showed partial advantages yet notable limitations in desert conditions. Overall, the framework provides a replicable decision-support tool while underscoring the urgent need to investigate non-bituminous, locally adapted pavement materials that can reduce petroleum dependence and better address Oman’s climatic and resource constraints.